Puttanesca Sauce with Chicken

Saturday, February 2, 2013
Puttanesca Sauce is a blend of delicious flavors in a tomato sauce and anyone who speaks Italian knows Puttana in Italian means prostitute, or lady of the night!

Despite the name, this is a very popular tomato sauce recipe with spaghetti in Italy and abroad calling it spaghetti all puttanesca.

With chicken on the plate, this dish is certainly changed this popular sauce into a heartier meal however, will omit being called authentic in any way but the sauce is really tasty on more than just pasta.

Chicken is never served on the same plate with pasta and only served in another dish alone so we usually have it as a side dish in another serving bowl.

We have always loved chicken with Italian meat sauce on top, and during the depression days, instead of beef or meatballs, Grandma used chicken in our Sunday sugo (they were raised in the yards where she lived when Grandma was a small child in Rome, Italy).

Over the years the recipe was adapted with flavors and sometimes we would add peppers, mushrooms, and onions to the sauce for a nice change in flavors it was also terrific on pizza.

Regardless, you can adapt the original style recipe without all the additions and not even make this with chicken which is not Authentic in any way.

This sauce is usually prepared and placed over a dish of macaroni preferably spaghetti.


olive sauce with chicken






Some History



Since there are so many stories about where this dish originated the recipe we use as I mentioned is adapted by my Grandma and in a more Roman style.


It is written that the original recipe is from Naples which is the capital of Campania and they never included anchovies eventually we would leave them out due to picky eaters so feel free to omit them if you're not fond of them.

There are even some that say puttanesca was invented by a brothel owner just outside of Rome then others by a brothel owner in Naples Spanish Quarter plus it was just a name and a reference to the green, red and purple of the sauce, which was the colors of the underwear worn by women working at these brothels.


There are even some stories the vibrant sauce was invented by a sex worker named Yvette la Francese, who named it after her trade, so no matter where it was invented, it was said to be the quickest meal they could prepare during their tricks.


Now that we have some of that history out of the way, hopefully, you will still want to try this easy tasty sauce we do really love despite its horrid history!


Just try the sauce and put it over whatever you like even bread it's so delicious!


tomato sauce with olive dipping the bread in the pot to taste it


Ingredients We Use the exact measurements are below in the recipe card

  • boneless chicken breast
  • olive oil
  • cloves minced garlic
  •  fresh plum tomatoes or Roma plum tomatoes, broken into pieces, with juice
  • Kalamata olives or any use black olives
  • drained capers
  • minced anchovy fillets or use anchovy paste
  • dried crushed basil or fresh leaves
  • dried crushed red pepper flakes
  • white wine


spaghetti with sauce


Other Sauce Additions

  1. mushrooms
  2. finely shredded carrots for sweetness
  3. diced onions
  4. artichoke hearts minced
  5. finely minced celery
  6. any kinds of black olives
  7. capers
  8. fresh herbs you prefer parsley, basil, etc.


plum ripe tomatoes to make homemade Italian sauce is in this black pot


Pin for later



pin for later


Olives and Sauce



If you love tomato sauce, chicken and olives, this is a must try for all fans out there, it's easy and delicious and pretty vibrant with flavors.


Puttanesca is a wonderful topping for pizza, pasta and meats of any kind, so try it over whatever your family likes!




Puttanesca Sauce with Chicken

Puttanesca Sauce with Chicken

Yield: 6
Author: Claudia Lamascolo
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 10 M
Tomato sauce with olives, and if you speak Italian this Puttanesca has quite a story behind it. This vibrant tasty sauce is very easy and usually a topping for pasta.

Ingredients

  • 4 to 6 boneless chicken breast
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 6 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 pounds of fresh plum tomatoes put through the food processor (remove stems first and cut off the tops, add whole) or 2 (28-ounce) cans Roma plum tomatoes, broken into pieces, with juice
  • 1 cup tightly packed, pitted, and halved Kalamata olives, or use black olives
  • 2 tablespoons drained capers
  • 2 tablespoons minced anchovy fillets (about 8 fillets) or use anchovy paste around 4 ounces
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed basil or fresh leaves one of two
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • a handful of fresh parsley
  • Garnish with Pecorino Romano long shredded grated cheese
  • Optional for the sauce: mushroom or green bell pepper sliced and cleaned
  • 1 lb of spaghetti cooked to package instructions al dente'

Instructions

  1. Slice the chicken into 1-inch sliced tenders.
  2. Heat the oil in a deep saucepan and saute the
  3. Saute the chicken breasts in a small amount of olive oil for around 4 minutes on both sides adding some salt, and pepper and adding the garlic around 2 minutes before the chicken is done.
  4. Place the chicken in a baking dish and keep warm.
  5. In the same saucepan add the tomatoes with the rest of the ingredients except the olives.
  6. Simmer this for around 1 hour then add the olives and simmer for 10 more minutes.
  7. Assembling:
  8. Place the chicken on the plate and spoon some sauce with olive top.
  9. We also serve spaghetti on the side with this sauce on top.
  10. Garnish with grated cheese and freshly chopped parsley.
  11. Note: this sauce can be done in the slow cooker on low 4 to 6 hours.

Notes

Other Sauce Additions

  1. mushrooms
  2. finely shredded carrots for sweetness
  3. diced onions
  4. artichoke hearts minced
  5. finely minced celery
  6. any kinds of black olives
  7. capers
  8. fresh herbs you prefer parsley, basil, etc.


puttanesca sauce, lady or the evening sauce, puttanesca tomato sauce for pasta, how to make puttanesca sauce
tomato sauce recipes, olive sauce recipes, Italian olive sauce recipes,
Italian, Spanish, American


Pin for later



pin for later


More Italian Recipes We Love


Homemade Tortellini

Homemade Cavatelli Pasta

Mom's Lasagna

Homemade Orecchiette Pasta



6 comments

  1. Love crockpot recipes! This is definitely a keeper.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Comfort food means many things and this just screams warm blanket, good book and a cozy fire.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This sounds delicious. I've been trying to expand my crockpot recipes.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'll be trying this one for sure.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sounds wonderful. I love the crock pot too. Need to make more recipes using it. :) Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  6. YUM! What delicious comfort food---and so easy in the slow cooker!

    ReplyDelete

Remember to use the search option for a recipe you're looking for and thanks for all your kind words and support. We love our readers all the best Claudia